2025 Il Poggio di Gavi Nuvole Sul Poggio DOCG, Piedmont

There is something wonderfully focused about Il Poggio di Gavi. The small Piedmont estate concentrates on Cortese and the hills of Gavi, rather than trying to be all things to everyone. Nuvole sul Poggio, or “clouds over the hill”, is another expression of the family’s home territory, capturing the lightness and freshness that makes good Gavi such an effortless white at the table.

Gavi sits in south eastern Piedmont, close enough to Liguria for the Mediterranean to influence its climate. Cortese loves the combination of warm sunshine, cooling breezes and local mineral rich soils, retaining acidity while developing pear, citrus and delicate floral aromatics. In 2025 the style is bright and youthful, with a little more texture through the middle than its pale colour initially suggests.

Very pale straw with green highlights, opening with green apple, lemon and Nashi pear before white peach and citrus blossom appear. Fresh fennel, crushed stone and a faint almond note add a savoury edge. The palate is brisk and beautifully dry, with grapefruit and lemon zest giving plenty of bite. Pear and white peach soften the centre before a clean finish of almond skin, herbs and a gentle saline note.

Try it with spaghetti alle vongole, grilled calamari with lemon and parsley, prawn and chive dumplings, kingfish crudo or ricotta stuffed zucchini flowers. Our pick is the calamari, charred at the edges and finished simply with lemon, parsley and olive oil. Exactly the sort of food that makes another bottle seem entirely reasonable.

Cellaring: Drink now to 2031.